Fined For Improper Disposal of Cannabis

One of the reasons we joined the community was to “Inform” and “Be informed” . Perhaps this story illustrates a one off. I can tell you that we’re starting to see these types of fines more and more.

It’s common for us to hear that Wood chippers will do for now or a cheaper product will help us get by and the most common of all… “you’re on the higher end of what we want to spend”.

It’s a fair point. But, what happens when your business starts to scale? Will you grow both Hemp and Cannabis? Will you merge with other growers or sell your waste as compost material?

Reliable equipment matters. We’re a leader in our industry. Most of our competitors follow us for a reason.

I can tell you now that a fine of $225K (this time around) is considerably more than you would spend at www.jwce.com for equipment that will last you years upon years.

Still think you can’t afford it? You may be pleasantly surprised - it never hurts to ask - and you may just save yourself from a quarter million dollar fine in an effort to “get by for now”.

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Can you comment on current regulations regarding disposal in the markets you serve? Typically cannabis waste needs to be shredded and mixed with a certain proportion of non cannabis waste, then disposed of securely. What would you suggest to this cultivator to ensure the problem doesn’t happen again?

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Hi @devjyarn
Your assessment is largely true. You want to comply with the regulation in your own state. If the regulations are ambiguous, as they are here in California, I suggest going with the regulations of the stricter states which call for a 51/49 mix.

Also, most states don’t allow disposal off site (as in grinders on a truck coming to your facilities) you should check your local regs, if this is allowed in your state or not.

However, the states that do allow off-site disposal, are usually for a grind mix that will be used for composting.